Five Questions
Ed Duncan is the owner of Eddie’s Aquarium Centre, located at 1254 Loudon Road in Cohoes. Duncan’s father started the business in 1969 in Rensselaer, then known as Crailo Aquarium. In 1975, Ed Jr. and Ed Sr. spawned Eddie’s Aquarium Centre in Menands. Eddie’s has grown to be the largest fishkeeping shop in the region and stocks marine life from all over the world. Eddie’s Aquarium Centre was featured on the popular Animal Planet show “Tanked,” helping to install a custom tank in Latham.
1 How did you get your start in the aquarium business?
When I was 12 my little sister was given two fair goldfish. As a reward for good behavior my father took us to a local department store and bought a 20 gallon starter kit. We fell in love with the hobby and soon had display tanks in the living room and dining room. Within two years we had 200 aquariums setup in our basement and were breeding fish to sell back to local aquarium shops.
2 Why are people drawn to fishkeeping as a hobby?
There have been many studies by the University of Pennsylvania that have proven the relaxing effects of tropical fish. Aquarium keeping is a great family fun hobby that gets kids involved and they can learn the responsibility of care as well as the science that surrounds the hobby. An aquarium can be a beautiful piece of living furniture in a home or office.
3 You offer free classes and workshops at your shop. What do people learn and why is that important?
A new hobbyist needs to know the basics, like the “nitrogen cycle,” proper feeding, maintenance, algae control and more. Advanced hobbyist could have an interest in growing live underwater plants, propagating coral, breeding fish and more. We like to support the local aquatic community and give relevant up to date information so all hobbyists can be successful and their fish are healthy. We host at least two classes each month and then each quarter we try to offer a special topics class or have one of our national product manufacturers come in to share their knowledge.
4 In the warmer weather your team designs and builds ponds and water gardens. What do these projects look like?
We design, build and maintain water features ranging from small backyard ponds to large swimming ponds. We install ornamental fountains, large floating fountains and lake aeration systems to improve water quality. We work with residential and commercial clients, including several local shopping centers. Ponds help create a relaxing outdoor living space and many of our customers keep Koi fish.
5 What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
I truly love working with my staff to help customers become successful with their aquatic hobby. It’s a great feeling when proud customers show us photos of what they have been able to accomplish with the guidance of the Eddie’s Team.